In the City Park

She had just broken up with her boyfriend, and life had never seemed so gloomy.

Every time Ann felt depressed, she drove here to the park. She left her car, slowly walked deep into the wooded area and sat on a bench.

Tousled starlings chirped shrilly.

The cold spring sun frowned through torn clouds. The dreary moans of doves cast further gloom over Ann, and she felt vexed. Even the shabby squirrels stared impudently at her.

"I am the most unlucky person on Earth!" she said aloud.

"Why?" she heard from an unknown man as he sat down next to her. Sometimes, when we are upset, we need just to talk with whoever will listen. Ann tried to explain her feelings to the stranger, but the man looked at her oddly, and she grew perplexed.

Ann thought about her life and could find no reason to complain.

She had good parents whose only fault was that they loved her too much and spoiled her. They paid her tuition and other needs, and she had never known what it was to be on a tight budget.

She was in perfect health.

Yes, she had caught her boyfriend cheating on her, but, honestly, she had no strong feeling for him. She realized that now.

So, what was the matter?

She could not understand, and she cried. The man smiled and started speaking easily and articulately.

His soft, peaceful voice echoed deep in Ann's mind and, surprisingly, her soul. She had not given her soul much consideration.

"How trifling are all our problems when compared to the Greatest Mystery of Creation," he said. "How insignificant are all our reasons to be upset in view of the countless number of other worlds. How miserable is all our suffering next to the Eternity of the Universe. Am I right? I'm Michael Alter." The man got to his feet. "Look around! The world is beautiful, isn't it?"

Cheerful starlings now chirped optimistically. Warm sunshine flowed all around.

Tender moans of the doves aroused sweet dreams of true love.

And the girl laughed. Ann felt capable of understanding and forgiving everybody, and

it was deep, real happiness. She looked at the man. He started towards his car.

"Michael, wait!" she gasped. "I don't want you to just go! Let's have a picnic."

"Ann, dear, I'm busy." He smiled tenderly.

Had she given him her name when telling her story? She must have, she decided.

"How about the weekend?"

Alter hesitated. "Okay."

Getting Closer

It was a wonderful picnic. Ann never felt happier. Michael listened to and understood her and it seemed if he had answers to all her questions. With Alter, Ann felt free as a bird. When he was next to Michael she sensed a deep peace and calm. He radiated hope and trust in a boundless ocean of love, and Ann felt herself melting into unlimited happiness. And only two words, "heavenly enjoyment," could explain her feelings.

***

In the beginning, Alter seemed to try to avoid communicating with Ann. But the girl was self-confident and impudent. Ann called Michael often, urging him to meet her, and every weekend they went out somewhere. She enjoyed their meetings. They both loved nature; they walked and had long talks.

Finally Alter relented, and even started to ask at the end of each meeting about the next.

***

This weekend was rainy, so they went to a movie on Saturday and to a restaurant on Sunday.

Ann surprised herself. She had visited such places with her ex-boyfriend many times.

Usually she liked to look around and flirt with other men. She thought it was fun to tease their females, and her own escort. It was different with Michael.

She kept her eyes on only him, to the exclusion of all around.

Yet to ignore the company at the next table became impossible. The young men and women were celebrating something or just relaxing so noisily that other customers asked them to be quiet, and the waiter finally threatened to refuse service if they did not calm down. The young people obeyed, and Ann turned back to Michael. But she heard an indignant young man from that table suddenly and loudly ask another, "Where is she?"

Ann glanced at them, and then at Michael, who turned in his chair, looked very attentively at the company, and called the waitress.

"We have to go," he said. "Bill, please."

"Why?" Ann was upset. "Are we going home?"

"Honey, I don't like brawls. Trust me, very soon one will take place."

***

As they were leaving, Ann heard noises, looked back, and understood that Alter had been right. The young man who had spoken out grabbed a bottle and rushed at his pal, toppling the table.

In the car Ann took a deep breath and shook her head. "What happened there? Did I miss something?"

"That guy came in with a girl," Michael explained. "But she left with another man, one she had just seen for the first time in her life, and her boyfriend became angry."

"What a slut, eh?" Ann laughed.

"Maybe she just met her true love," Alter retorted.

"In the restaurant? Give me a break!"

"Nobody knows where you will meet your soul-mate."

"Even in a city park, eh?" Ann gave him a wink. Michael laughed and turned on the

car engine.

The New Stage

A few times Michael picked Ann up after school. She did not see anything wrong with it. He was just a kind, nice person, who filled the emptiness in her soul. But one day...

***

Ann was working in the laboratory. She had her task almost finished when a girl, working at the next table grinned, "Hey, Ann! Your boyfriend's here!"

Surprised, Ann was assumed she meant her ex, and she looked towards the door. It was Michael. He waved to her and smiled.

Ann stood still and took stock of her feelings. She remembered exactly what she had felt for her ex; this was absolutely another sense. It was deeper, better. Their eyes met, and the girl was amazed. The world around her, the laboratory, the students, all disappeared. It was the Contact, when one understands without words, when souls fuse.

She walked into the corridor as if in a trance. Michael started talking, but she did not understand. She merely stared. Alter sighed and repeated, "I'm very sorry. I have business to attend to for the next three weeks."

The girl looked at him. Her big, naïve, dark blue eyes framed in long eyelashes showed sincere sadness.

"Ann, sweetheart!" Michael took her hands in his. "You have to rub shoulders with some young people like yourself!"

"I don't need anyone," she replied, upset. Alter gasped.

"What?" Ann scrutinized his face. "Gonna visit your wife?"

"I'm not married." Michael smiled again.

"Why? Are you gay?"

Alter laughed.

"If you're sick, I don't mind." The girl talked as if delirious.

"I am just too busy." Michael lowered his eyes. "Ann, look, I..."

The girl wept. Alter became confused.

"Don't you like me?" She smiled grimly. "Am I stupid?"

"Ann," Michael hugged her. They were the same height. "It's too serious, honey. I have to leave the city for a while. I'll be back after the 26^th. It's all up to you. You have my phone number." He carefully kissed her forehead, but Ann held on to the embrace and pressed her lips to his. Michael pulled back and looked at her with tenderness.

"I'll be back after the 26^th ," he repeated and left. For a long time Ann stood

still, staring at the exit door that had closed behind her beloved man.

She wanted to weep and laugh at once.

In the Forest

The organizer of the trip gave detailed instructions about the place for a meeting. But Ann had just received a call from Michael, and so she missed a few points. She hoped her friend Irene would remember the route. Besides that, they were giving a ride to a girl named Rhoda, who had no car. Rhoda was very serious girl, so Ann was sure she would tell them the way.

They reached the village itself without any trouble, but as to where they had to go now, the girls had no idea. Finally, they parked in a parking lot between a gas station and a local bar, and Irene went to find someone who would know how to reach the farm they were supposed to meet at.

It was a very hot day. The autumn sun scorched as if it was summertime.

Ann felt sleepy and was not in the mood for study. On a day like this she would rather go to the beach or pool, or just stay at home and turn the air-conditioner to maximum power.

A few farm guys were doing something near their trucks. They noticed the two nice girls and, not leaving their job, they started flirting with them.

Frowning, Rhoda did not reply. Ann found that funny, and flirted back just to kill the time.

Finally they saw Irene walking toward them.

"We're almost there," she said to the girls. "We have two ways. One is a path through the forest. It can take about thirty minutes to walk it. Or we can drive around, and it should take about the same time, maybe a little longer. So?"

"Let's walk!" Ann suggested at once. "I love the forest, and my butt's tired of sitting!"

***

They were deep in the forest when Rhoda glanced back and gasped. The other girls looked also. The farm guys followed them. The young men were still talking with each other, and from time to time they laughed.

"My God!" Rhoda said with fear. "Ann! Why did you flirt with them!

They're going to rape us now for sure!"

Ann thought Rhoda was right. Irene prepared her gun.

"Don't worry!" she said through clenched teeth. "They're wrong if they think they can do that so easy!"

"Let's go, let's go!" Worried, Ann hastened Rhoda. "Let's just go! The farm is not far away, there we would be safe!"

Although they walked as fast as they could, the men were still the same distance behind them. Rhoda started weep.

"I'm a virgin!" she cried. "What if they all rape us? Oh, God! Please, no!"

"Pull yourself together!" Irene hissed angrily. "I'm able to kill them all!"

"Let's use the gun as the last way for defense!" Ann frowned.

"Sure, Ann!" Irene grinned. "I can kill with my brass-knuckles, shiv, or black-jack, or even my bare hands!"

"No killing!" Ann became angry.

"Your wish is my command!"

"Stop it!" Rhoda sobbed. "I can't stand it any longer! Let's go back! Please!"

"Shut up!" Irene looked about. "They are behind us! Want to run straight to their hands? Go! Good luck!"

"Girls, girls, please!" Ann tried to stay under control. "I have a phone! If something goes wrong, we can call!"

"Call now! Call now!" Rhoda was close to hysteria. The girls moved aside, and Irene blocked them with herself.

The men were getting closer. And closer. Ann hugged trembling Rhoda.

Still talking, the guys passed them. They did not even look at the girls, just threw a few glances. That was all.

Shocked, the girls stood there for a long time.

"Rhoda, you are the stupidest thing ever!" finally Irene said. "No, I am more stupid, because I fell for your paranoid fantasy!"

Ann burst out laughing.

"Well, they didn't even try!" She giggled. "That's not nice! Maybe we wouldn't resist too much, eh?"

She gave Rhoda a wink, but the angry girl tore herself away Ann's hands, and continued to walk.

***

They finally reached the farm. They met the other students.

They got to know the guys who had "stalked" them in the forest. These young men were all nice, and a little shy, and when Ann was leaving the farm, she felt a light sadness about her uncharitable thoughts.

She was glad that all the worries were groundless, and that the number of good people greatly outnumbered the scoundrels. Her love for all mankind overflowed, and she thought with gratitude about her beloved Michael, who had taught her to feel that way.

"The Knights of Jesus"

"The Knights of Jesus" had held a grudge against Ann for a long time.

She had not sought them out, but, thanks to a roommate's fanaticism, a brush with the organization had made her a target for months. Ann was a strong-willed young woman, reluctant to nod in agreement just to make someone go away, so when they talked, she showed her skepticism. They didn't like it.

They were more than just talkers.

They were a dangerous group of men and women. They handled knives made from crosses, and their guns had silver bullets in the clips. The police were aware of their existence and their armaments, but all members of the group had weapons permits. Weapons material makes no difference.

Ann and her friends (yes, she had listened to Michael and decided this was a time to "rub shoulders") had made themselves comfortable on the grass for a peaceful picnic on the bank of a river.

"The Knights" were about, for it turned out that this was one of their hangouts, and one by one approached the picnickers to attempt to bring them around to a violent pseudo- Christianity.

Ann laughed and started again, as usual, to make fun of their wild utterances. One female "Knight" grew angry and punched Ann in the face.

Irene's boyfriend Jeff pushed the girl off, but he missed avoiding the lunge that came from another "Knight".

The blade was made from church silver, but regardless of its holy origins, it was deadly.

Ann's friends, shocked by the bloody attack, began to defend themselves. The fight turned vicious.

Everybody fought selflessly. Jeff lay on the grass. Ann propped up his head. She stopped the bleeding, but could not do any more for him. He was dying in her arms, and the girl felt pity and despair.

She wanted to lash out at his murderer, but didn't dare leave his side. She looked up as one of the female "Knight" near her brandished a gun. Without thinking, she snatched it from the woman's hand, and, in her grief, considered shooting.

"Stop it!" A resolute and powerful voice sounded in their minds.

Everybody stood still. Ann saw Michael Alter and she smiled. Happiness overflowed from her heart. She had not expected to see him here. There, in the University, Michael had said that he would back on the 26^th, and today was only 23^rd.

He was upset, but his face showed sincere compassion. He touched Jeff, and the young man sprang up. He gazed at Michael, trembled, and stepped back. Alter looked around, his eyes halted at Ann's hands.

He winced, and the girl gasped and dropped the gun.

Michael now stared at the attackers. They exchanged glances and fled. Ann's friends moved aside in wonder. Hanging his head, Alter slowly walked towards the river.

"Michael!" Ann rushed to follow him. She started to talk. She tried to explain.

***

They stopped on the beach at the mouth of the river.

"It's hopeless." The tired voice of Michael Alter was desperate. "Two thousand years are gone! And what? You, humans handle guns instead of swords..."

"I told you how it happened!" Ann burst into tears and covered her face with her hands.

"Ann, sweetheart!" Hugging her, Alter patted her athletic shoulders. "Don't cry!

You're a big girl! Oooh! A big, big girl, eh?"

"I'm not fat!" Ann became angry and stopped crying. "For my height I am the perfect weight! Am I right?" she asked with worry.

"Sure, honey! I just wanted you back to your senses! I can understand how scared you were! Are you okay?"

"Yes..." Only now she understood exactly what had happened. "You! How did you get here? How did you stop them? You cured Jeff! Oh, my! Who are you? If I didn't know better I would think you were an angel!"

"Yes, I am." Michael answered casually.

Ann gasped. "You are an angel?"

Michael smiled, and slightly bowed.

"And you would marry me?" she asked.

Alter looked at the girl very attentively.

"My task is to save people," he laughed. "To save you, I have to marry you!"

"No, you don't have to!" She was suddenly angered by his arrogance. "I hate you!" she shouted as she pushed him. But, still smiling, Michael did not release her, and the girl was surprised at how strong he was.

"Too late, my dear! I love you, Ann, and I'll not permit you to be the undoing of yourself!"

"What did you say?" Ann mumbled.

"I love you, Ann," he repeated calmly.

She smiled shyly. "And we'll get married?"

He nodded.

"And we'll have kids?"

"Three girls, and two boys."

"Oh, no!" Ann demonstratively frowned. "Too many..."

"And twelve cats..."

"No way!"

"And four dogs..."

"Are we gonna live in a zoo?"

They laughed together.

"When's our wedding supposed to be?" Ann asked, and Michael hesitated with the reply.

"I think the Christmas break is the perfect time..."

"Oh, no! Four months!"

"Ann, dear, you have to finish your education. We're going to live in a zoo, so I need a vet by my side."

"Sure! Or all our money will be gone to medical bills!" She smiled, and Michael embraced her more tightly.

Flamingos

After the joking references to living in a zoo, Ann told Michael about the real local facility, and the couple arranged to meet there. It was a small zoo that one could perambulate in thirty minutes, so they did not worry about finding each other.

Ann visited that place often. She already knew where the animal's cages and the pavilions were. Waiting for Alter after arrival, she sought out the flamingos. She loved the reddish-orange, strange looking birds.

She closed the pen and noticed a young man. She had seen him in the university, but they had different majors and Ann did not even know what he was studying. Here he was drawing a picture of the flamingos.

The young man impressed Ann. It was not a sexual feeling. The girl was very emotional, and his mysterious silences intrigued her. Tender and shy, he looked like the Little Prince of Saint-Exupery and the girl wanted to get know him, but something had prevented conversation until now.

Ann did not understand art, especially modern art, and when she came close to the pen she laughed loudly. The artist glanced at her with surprise.

"Buddy, could you explain something to me?" Ann asked. "Why do you spend hours drawing a picture you can do in a few seconds?"

She took her Polaroid from her purse, snapped a photo, and when the picture appeared she threw the picture on the easel and compared the results.

Her smile died and her face went red. She saw his work, she saw her rudely bright photo, and she understood the difference at once. She felt ashamed and was ready to be ridiculed.

But the artist totally confused her. Without a word he took out a notebook, wrote something, and showed it to Ann. She looked. Of course such a man would have such handwriting: very clear, legible, light and flying. However, the contents shocked the girl.

"Sorry, I can't talk." she read. "What did you want me to explain for you?"

"Nothing... Sorry..." Depressed, Ann slowly walked away.

And she met Alter. He smiled as he walked towards her. But he saw her upset face, and became concerned. "What happened, honey?"

Ann explained. However, she dared not ask her fiancé to do that which she desired.

Nevertheless, Michael understood and thought for a while. Finally he resolutely tossed his head, and strode to the artist. Ann followed him.

"Do you like flamingos?" Alter asked, and put his hand on the shoulder of the artist.

"Oh, I do!" he responded suddenly, mechanically taking up his notebook. "I think God was in the best mood ever when he had created these birds..."

He stopped, and his eyes widened. He touched his throat, then his lips. "Did I say this?" He looked at Michael in amazement. "Did you hear me?"

"Yes, we heard you." Alter calmly replied.

Ann kept silent; she sensed her fiancé meant <i>not</i> her.

"Oh, God!" The artist closed his eyes and whispered quietly, "Oh, dear God, thank You..."

"Do you want to make a call?" Michael held out his cell phone.

Surprised, the artist looked up. "How do you know?" He took the phone but hesitated. "It's another state..."

"It's okay, call." Now hugging his fiancée, Alter stepped aside and the artist dialed the number.

"Dad?" he said into the receiver. "No, it is me, your little bear. No, Daddy, it's not a joke, I swear!" He smiled. "I keep all my old crayons in the third drawer, middle section, in the bedroom, right side of the window. Daddy, it is me, honest! I don't know how to explain..."

Ann opened her mouth, but Alter squeezed her hand and the girl held her tongue.

"Do you remember," the artist continued. "When you were in the hospital, I gave you my first picture, a polar bear? I was four... Dad? Why do you cry? Oh, Daddy! I'm so happy too! I'll be home on the first flight that I can... You? What about your job? Day off? Vacation? Are you sure? Of course, I'll meet you at the airport..."

He continued to talk. Michael took Ann to the pen, and for a while they silently watched the beautiful long-legged birds.

The smiling artist presently joined them.

"Forty-three minutes!" He shook his head. "How much do I owe you?"

"May I have your work as payment?" Alter asked, and the artist looked at him with surprise.

"Sure!" He walked to his easel, wrote his name on the picture, and brought it to Michael, then waved his hand and quickly walked away.

Alter looked at the picture and sighed.

"I'm a thief," he confessed to Ann. "In less than a hundred years this masterpiece will be worth millions of dollars."

"Well, this is a nice way to make money!" the girl laughed. "Let's put it on the wall in our living room. And a small table under it. And a tall vase with some long-stemmed grass..."

They continued discussing how they would decorate their future common home.

The Visit

Ann gazed at the building. It was very typical, not big, two story house. Michael Alter parked on the driveway, and honked.

The garage was open, and a tall, hefty man came outside. His hands were covered with machine oil, and he wiped them with a rag.

"Melissa!" the man turned to the garage. "Uncle Michael is here!"

A girl about 17 flung herself from the garage. But she stopped at once, and gazed at Ann.

"Meet my fiancée!" Alter shook the hand of the man, and waved to Melissa.

"Very nice!" the girl snorted, and went back to the garage.

"Melissa?" the man glanced back with surprise, and shrugged his shoulders.

"Sorry," he addressed Alter. "Melissa's so strange lately."

"It's okay, Jerry, she's just become an adult." Michael smiled. "Where are the others?"

"Francine went to take Lil from daycare. She's a little late today. You know, in the beginning of the new school year all teachers are awfully busy, even in the kindergarten. But

Mike's somewhere. Melissa!" he turned to the garage. "Do you know where Mike is?"

The girl shouted something, but nobody understood.

"I think I know," Jerry walked to the neighbors yard. "I'll be back."

Michael and Ann went to the house. Melissa, with a dismal face, took out burgers from the freezer and beer from the refrigerator.

Suddenly they heard the cry of some child, and a man's curses. Jerry came inside, he dragged a boy about eight years old.

"If I ever see you play with a gun again, I'll kill you!" Jerry shook his son, threw a toy gun on the floor, and trampled it. "Go to your room!" he shouted at the boy.

"Jerry!" Alter shook his head. "It's no a solution!"

The boy saw Alter and ran to him. He climbed on Michael and sat on his lap.

"Dad broke my gun!" the boy complained as he hugged Alter.

"Jerry, give me his gun!"

The man obeyed.

"Mike?" Alter looked at the boy. "What do you need this for?"

"An evil alien has arrived!" the child pronounced with deep worry.

"How do you know he is evil?"

"'Cause he has green skin and six eyes."

"Your best friend Samson has black skin, your pal Han has yellow, and I know one nice girl whose skin is almost red. Am I wrong?"

"She's not my girlfriend!" The boy knitted his brows.

"I did not say that!" Michael was talking with a very serious face. "My point is a lot of people have different colored skin, hair and eyes. But that doesn't make them kind or evil!"

"But I have to protect Earth!"

"Don't worry, Mike!" Alter smiled. "He, who made Earth, will protect it also, I swear!"

He fixed the toy gun with one magic motion, and gave it to the boy.

But Mike sighed, looked at the toy, and put it back on the table.

He went to Jerry, and timidly looked up: "I'm sorry, daddy! May I stay?"

"Sure, honey!" The man petted the head of his son, and glanced at Alter with gratitude.

The Avalanche

Ann was sure Michael would refuse her offer. She dearly wanted to spend a few days with him in the mountains. But to her pleasant surprise, Alter agreed.

***

The day started perfectly. The couple skied together. Periodically, when no other people were around, they kissed, and Ann was surprised that these short moments brought her more satisfaction than the hours of wild love with her ex.

Ann and Michael were enjoying just such an interlude when it happened. The ground shook and started trembling. Michael sharply spun towards the mountain and disappeared.

Ann at first did not understand what was going on. It seemed as if the peak of the mountain had collapsed. Suddenly she realized it was an avalanche and she gasped to see a group of teenagers on the slope.

Alter was now among them, and Ann understood he was trying to keep them together for some reason. Ann was in a secure place; the trees and big rocks would protect her. But she could not just stay put.

She rushed to her fiancé.

Un-timed and unmeasured as it was, her speed was that of a new world record.

She flung herself to the teenagers and grabbed one girl who tried to escape.

Though Ann did not understand what Alter was planning, she trusted him.

Screaming and sobbing hysterically the teenaged girl wriggled in her arms, but strong Ann held her securely.

Then Ann looked up and choked with horror. The oncoming wall of snow was higher than a two-story house. Ann tried to close her eyes, but the awful sight mesmerized her.

Michael glanced at the people again and stretched his arm out towards the avalanche. It broke into two parts and skirted the small group as it continued downhill.

The roar was deafening. The powerful wave of moving air almost knocked them down. Crazy with terror and barely keeping her feet, Ann compulsively patted the girl's back for her own comfort. They stared at the walls of the snow rushing past. It was like a nightmare, and only her love and trust of Michael helped Ann to stay in control. But everything has an end.

Shocked and exhausted they sat down straight on the snow. Ann gazed at her fiancé. A weak smile was on her lips. Alter shook his head.

"Ann, honey," he said tenderly. "Now I'm sure that I didn't err about you."

They heard an engine as a ranger on snowmobile approached. "Is everybody okay?" he asked with worry. "Thank God! It smashed a few buildings, but nobody was harmed. You guys were lucky! Did you see that rock there, up the hill? It worked like a breakwater!"

"Michael saved us!" Ann shouted angrily.

"Yes!" The ranger shook Alter's hand. "If you hadn't kept them together, they would have been crushed by that avalanche for sure! How did you know this place was safe?"

"It's Michael who broke the snow!" Ann screamed at the ranger.

He looked at her with concern.

"Of course, of course!" He smiled peacefully. "I meant just that!"

Angrier now, Ann wanted to say more but Alter seized her hand and shook his head. The girl restrained herself, and silently hugged her fiancé.

She realized in this that she must be content to know Michael's power but not to bring attention to it, even though she wished to shout it out to the world.

It just is not Time yet.

In a pedestrian world of unbelievers, Michael would never be accepted as he was. Ann would need to change, just a bit, her outspoken ways to facilitate his journey on Earth. He had fallen for an ordinary girl, but one in which he could see the potential for true goodness. In their very different ways they would fulfill their destinies as one – he as an angel sent down, and she as his human helpmeet.

There are strange things in this world.

THE END

The Angel loves, the Angel fights